AA in U-turn after row over Gordon Ramsay's restaurant

By Hamida Ghafour

12:01AM BST 26 Jul 2002

The AA Restaurant Guide backed down yesterday after denying a highly coveted honour to one of Gordon Ramsay's restaurants.

The controversy began when Roger Wood, the managing director of the Automobile Association, which owns the guide, was said to have used his influence to stop a "fifth rosette" being awarded to the Petrus restaurant in Mayfair.

The accusation was made by Simon Wright, the editor of the guide, who resigned over the issue. He alleged that Mr Wood had overridden the team of qualified inspectors, who unanimously recommended Petrus for the fifth rosette. Only five restaurants in Britain are awarded five rosettes.

Mr Wood had said he was unimpressed by Petrus when he ate there and called it a "poseur's restaurant" which was "lacking ambience".

However he released a statement yesterday saying that the merit award committee would review the decision.

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"It may be that my personal views may have been given undue weight in the decision making process about the AA Rosette award for Petrus."

However, Mr Wright, who was editor for two years, remained unimpressed.

He said: "If Petrus was to receive a fifth rosette that would be welcome. I feel this decision should be made by trained inspectors, not someone unqualified to make a decision."

Marcus Wareing, the chef patron and co-owner of Petrus, said he was also unsatisfied.

"How important is an Oscar to an actor? This isn't some slapdash restaurant, this is my life here," he said. "It does nothing for me unfortunately. I think he's just covering up his mistake."

The dispute began when Mr Wood visited the restaurant at the end of March, something both sides agree upon. However, they differ on what transpired next.

Mr Wareing claims Mr Wood demanded to inspect his table booked for the following day.

The manager refused because it was not ready and Mr Wood allegedly began shouting.

But Karen Myers, spokesman for the AA, said Mr Wood simply decided the "venue was not appropriate for the occasion", cancelled the booking and left.

"One man's argument may be another man's discussion," she said.

Mr Wright and Petrus believe that the alleged dispute at the restaurant prompted Mr Wood to intervene to take away the rosette.

"He made a decision on personal feelings," said Mr Wareing.

Mr Ramsay said he would seek legal means to pull all four of his restaurants' names, including Petrus and the acclaimed Gordon Ramsay at London Claridge's from the 2003 edition published in the autumn.

"This guide is supposed to be the chef's bible. If it is not independent I do not want to be mentioned in it."

He also questioned the qualifications of Mr Wood - previously managing director of British Gas - as a food critic.

"He knows a damn sight more about cookers and gas pressures and should stick to that, not fine dining restaurants," he said.

Miss Myers had earlier said that Mr Wood was simply making his views known to the inspectors as a casual restaurant-goer.

"Ninety-five per cent of people who eat at restaurants are ordinary people. Mr Wood was speaking from that perspective. If only professionals ate at restaurants they wouldn't survive," she said.

Mr Wood said the decision about the rosette would remain confidential until the publication of the guide's 2003 edition.

The rosette system is similar to the Michelin star rating, so the fifth and final rosette means the restaurant is of unparalleled quality. It is decided upon by a team of eight inspectors.